When we make small errors we often just breeze over them or remind ourselves not to do that anymore. But what happens when we make a really big blunder - something that affects other lives and our own in significant ways? Sometimes we panic, or we throw up our hands and do nothing, or we allow the enemy to pummel us and tell us how terrible we are.
But in Chapter 35 of Genesis we see Jacob do something after the debacle at Shechem that is a model for us when sin and weakness overcomes us.
Chapter 35
Verse 1
After the incident at Shechem, it’s time for some serious cleansing. So God tells Jacob to go back to Bethel - back to the place where God first appeared to Jacob and where he pledged his allegiance to God.
It’s always a good idea to return to worship after we’ve been through a trial. Even though Jacob had done nothing wrong - he recognized that there was rededication needed in all of his family.
Verses 2 - 5
Notice how we started out with just one household god that Rachael took from Laban. Now we have all sorts of trinkets and gods that Jacob’s sons have acquired. When we are not careful, the world will very quickly infiltrate our lives and our families - so it’s no wonder that Jacob’s sons behaved the way they did - without hearts given to God.
First Jacob gathered those things that represented the world - or were anti-God and he buried them at the place of sin before setting off. As we, when we realize we have blown it - we should seek to identify the cause - is it the influence of ungodly friends, a worldly atmosphere, past weaknesses - take out all the foreign gods - then bury them there. Repent - and turn away from those things - then set off to the place of worship.
Sometimes it means going back to that place when you first had a realization of God’s presence in your life. Maybe its that verse or that book you were reading - perhaps worship songs, maybe an attitude of heart - as Jesus said in Revelation 2:4 "you have forsaken your first love." "Repent and do the things you did at first."
Verses 9 - 10
God is reminding Jacob that his nature really has changed. I’m sure he was probably doubting it after the expression of sin by his sons. When you blow it do you start to doubt whether you are even saved - that God is at work changing you? Here God reminds Jacob and He reminds us too:
Philippians 1:6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Verses 11 - 15
God says three things to Jacob.
1. I am God almighty. We must realize the source of our forgiveness and righteousness is Him- not our strength.
2. You will be fruitful. God is at work. We just need to open up and let Him do the work and stop fighting.
3. What I am doing through you will continue my plan. We need to realize that we are in good company.
Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Maybe you are discouraged because of weakness and sin in your life. Do what Jacob did - discover the filth, confess it and bury it at Shechem - then return to Bethel, call on the Lord with first love - and hear Him give comfort to you as he did to Israel. You can do it - as others have before you.
Verses 16 - 20
Ben-Oni means "son of my pain" but Benjamin means (probably) "son of good fortune." It may be that Jacob is saying the loss of my beloved wife is somehow compensated for by the birth of my twelfth son.
Jacob buries Rachael near Bethlehem (or Ephrath as it was known then). Rachael’s grave is about a half hour north of Bethlehem near the road to Jerusalem. The grave is still there - apparently - after thousands of years.
So now with Rachael dead, Jacob has more and more trouble with his sons.
Verses 21 - 22
Migdal Eder means "flock tower" and was literally a tower built to watch over the flocks. It’s just outside of Bethlehem. Reuben sleeps with his step-mom Bilhah. This is only the first time we see Reuben’s true nature. In Chapter 34 we saw Simeon and Levi show their predilection for violence in Shechem. But Reuben isn’t all bad - in Chapter 37 we’re going to see that he tried to rescue Joseph when the rest of the brothers wanted to kill him. But in Chapter 49 Jacob is going to remember what Reuben did. In his prophecy to his first born he’ll say:
Genesis 49:3-4
"Reuben, you are my firstborn,
my might, the first sign of my strength,
excelling in honor, excelling in power.
4 Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel,
for you went up onto your father’s bed,
onto my couch and defiled it.
Just because God doesn’t strike you down with fire from heaven when you mess up doesn’t mean you won’t pay the consequences later.
Galatians 6:7-8
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
Something else - Reuben was set to inherit all of Jacob’s goods, including his concubines, when Jacob died. But trying to get that inheritance before the death of the father was tantamount to a hostile takeover. Absalom did the same thing to David many years later. So this shows his character.
Verses 23 - 26
Now that the family is complete, we get the full picture of just who had which sons.
Verses 27 - 29
Putting the death of Isaac here is a likely a little out of chronological order. At 180, Isaac would have still been alive when Jacob grieved over the loss of Joseph (chapter 37) and just before Joseph’s promotion in Egypt. But Isaac died 12 years after Jacob returned from Padam Aran. Jacob would have come to visit other times, but this is an important occasion, and Esau travels from Seir as well.
So in the next chapter we get a look at Esau’s family line. We’re not going to look at in detail, but God did promise Esau that he would be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 25:23).
Chapter 36
Verses 1- 8
For those of you counting - some of the names are different here of Esau’s wives than Genesis 26 and 28. Without going into detail - apparently it was (and still is) a custom to have names representing some event actually supersede prior names for someone. It’s like a nick-name that sticks.
Seir is a hilly ridge that goes south from the land of Canaan towards Egypt. Edom is going to give the children of Israel a really hard time later on when they attempt to go through this area back from Egypt.
Verse 12
Amalek - in Exodus 17:14 God told Moses to blot out the memory of Amalek when they came into the land. The Amalekites attacked Israel as they came out of Egypt.
They are also mentioned and cursed by Balaam:
Numbers 24:20"Amalek was first among the nations, but he will come to ruin at last."
Judges 6 - the Amalekites would raid the land whenever the Israelites would plant.
They often went to war against them. In 1 Samuel 15 Saul is told to destroy the Amalekites - but instead the troops take the plunder and save Agag the king. Later it was this disobedience that led to Saul’s death - a young Amalekite killed Saul on Mt. Gilboa in 2 Samuel 1.
Notice that there are twelve tribes for Esau, just as there were twelve tribes for Jacob. Again, God’s promised blessing in Genesis 25.
Notice that Esau moved to Seir. He didn’t try to contest the fact that Jacob would actually inherit the land and possessions from Isaac. (verse 8)
Conclusions
Maybe you are in a situation where you have done things of which you are ashamed. You have either covered them up for so long that you have nearly forgotten them - nearly, but not totally. Or you have confessed but have felt no freedom, and no forgiveness.
I want to encourage you to do what Jacob did:
1. Return. Come back to your first love - to that place where you gave your heart to Jesus, and listen to Him speak to you:
Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to me , all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
2. Worship. You might feel that you can’t even worship God - but if you do you will experience a freedom and a refocusing of your life - that it belongs to Him.
3. Remember. Think back on the times when you had a closer walk with Him. Remember when He did marvelous things for you and in you. Jacob remembered when God answered him in his distress. Recite those things again to rebuild your failing faith.
4. Cleanse. Jacob had his family get rid of all foreign gods. Once you have returned your heart to the Lord and worshiped Him you will have the insight to know what things God is putting his hand on to cleanse. Perhaps it’s worldly friends or things you are watching or reading. Perhaps it’s an attitude or an old habit pattern - don’t be afraid to give it up.
5. Rejoice. You have been forgiven - don’t let the enemy tell you God can’t forgive - His grace is bigger than your sin!
1 John 1:8-10 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 3:19-20 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20 whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
Next time we start the story of Joseph - which takes us really through the rest of the book - it is an amazing story and a picture of Jesus Christ.
For more Bible studies and an audio copy of this message, please visit:
www.CalvaryChapelNewberg.org.
